What are these people thinking??? Parents have a wonderful desire to expose their children to music, sports, martial arts, dance (anything besides video games), etc. and yet they drop them off at said studio without knowing or becoming familiar with the instructor. I teach and have taught piano for over 10 years and I can’t count the number of times I started a new student without even know their parent’s name. No doubt, parents invest a great deal of trust in educators, both private and public. But when it comes to private lessons in piano, guitar, dance, tennis, etc., there should be more scrutiny in determining your next teacher. Parents should demand references or, at least, attend the first session with the new teacher. Use the first meeting as an interview lesson to get to know each other. Go with your gut feeling. First impressions are usually right. Also, use this time to confirm a personality match between the student and teacher. Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher what type of student he or she likes to teach. Get a profile or resume containing educational information, teaching experience, personality type, i.e. easy going, strict, etc. A great number of parents have specifically asked me to be strict with their child. I think that’s great and it tells me that they’re serious about their piano study.
Parents need to know who their teacher is. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
